| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANIMALIA | CHORDATA | ACTINOPTERYGII | CHARACIFORMES | DISTICHODONTIDAE |
| Scientific Name: | Distichodus petersii |
| Species Authority | Pfeffer,1896 |
| Red List Category & Criteria: | Vulnerable A2bd ver 3.1 |
| Year Assessed: | 2006 |
| Assessor/s | Hanssens, M. |
| Evaluator/s: | Snoeks, J. (Freshwater Fish Red List Authority) & Darwall, W. (Freshwater Biodiversity Assessment Programme) |
|
Justification: Reported decline in fishery catches throughout the range of >30% in a period of approximately 10 years. |
|
| Range Description: | Ruaha-Rufiji system, Ruvu and Ruvuma Rivers. |
| Countries: |
Native:
Tanzania, United Republic of
|
| Population: | Composition of Distichodus in the catches was 1.5% in 1987, gradually declining to less than 0.9% in 1996. CPUE as an index of relative abundance has declined at the same time. |
| Population Trend: |
Decreasing
|
| Habitat and Ecology: | Usually riverine, but may colonize dams. They are highly migratory, often going to the upper reaches of Great Ruaha to spawn around January/February. Tend to feed on epiphytic algae, coarse vegetation/detritus and aquatic invertebrates. |
| Systems: | Freshwater |
| Major Threat(s): | Silt loading, chocking substrate for spawning. Over-fishing especially using illegal gears and methods. Land based pollution. High BOD in Mtera during windy periods, leading to fish kills. |
| Conservation Actions: | None. |
| Citation: | Hanssens, M. 2006. Distichodus petersii. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 22 November 2008. |
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